Traditionally, telecommunications switches have been represented and maintained through the use of one or more character-based computer tools. Because single-processor switch architectures are being replaced with distributed multi-processor switch architectures, character-based computer maintenance tools are particularly problematic. These distributed multi-processor switch architectures can have, for example, processors or processor groups taking on specialized functions having high-speed interconnections. Character-based computer maintenance tools cannot effectively represent the added complexity of these distributed multi-processor switch architectures.
For example, the interface for a character-based switch-maintenance tool typically supports direct status display and control over only one processor at a time. The direct status display and control of a single processor is based a procedure that requires logging into that processor to perform maintenance on it.
Known character-based switch-maintenance tools, however, suffer several shortcomings. First, single-processor control cannot effectively provide a visual overview of a distributed switch environment that consists of many processors with many interconnections. In such a distributed switch environment, the many processors and the many interconnections may require monitoring and control. Single-processor control used in a distributed processor platform places the burden on the user to construct an integrated conceptual view of the status of the processor complex. Additionally, resolution limitations of character-based interfaces restrict the amount of detail that can be presented to users in a single view.
Second, known character-based switch-maintenance systems require users to have appropriate knowledge of switching maintenance and also have detailed knowledge about how to formulate commands to accomplish their goals. Users, for example, need to know whether a failed processor needs to be rebooted or initialized, and need to know the string of parameters included in a maintenance command. The user can obtain proficiency in using these command languages only with substantial experience; the user, however, is still subject to error (e.g., typos) and inefficiencies (e.g., constructing such complex command strings requires some time). Consequently, known character-based switch-maintenance tools cannot provide a sufficiently accurate and direct means of viewing status and controlling the hardware and software of a distributed telecommunications switch.